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RickB- Human, Artist, Fool.

Ynys Mon, UK.

The blog is called ten percent because of what Kurt Vonnegut wrote when remembering Susan Sontag - She was asked what she had learned from the Holocaust, and she said that 10 percent of any population is cruel, no matter what, and that 10 percent is merciful, no matter what, and that the remaining 80 percent could be moved in either direction.-

And I'm writing it because I need the therapy and I lust for world domination.

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I Don’t Think Independent Means What He Thinks It Means

21 April, 2009 — RickB

This is Nick Hardwick, head of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) giving evidence to the Commons Home Affairs committee-

He said the severity of the G20 complaints and injuries alleged is greater – although the difference may be accounted for by the presence of “citizen journalists” with mobile phone cameras at the G20 protest. “One of the consequences of this exposure through citizen journalism is that we will all see much more clearly what it is – and sometimes it looks ugly – what we expect the police to do,” he told MPs.

He said there was a need for police to explain better so-called “distraction” techniques they are trained to use in violent confrontations, which he said was a “euphemism” for “kicking, hitting, punching”. It “looks ugly” on the television – but police are trained to use these techniques as long as the force used is reasonable and proportionate and they should not “wash their hands” of this fact.

Mr Hardwick said he made the decision to do a “rigorous, hands-on” assessment of Mr Tomlinson’s death to see if he came into contact with the police before he collapsed. The evidence initially was that there was not any contact, so at first the IPCC decided not to conduct an independent investigation.

He said the police should not have rushed out a statement under media pressure to say there had been no contact with Mr Tomlinson but he was not surprised they did as “they have done it before”. He also owned up to a “mistake” when he said there was no CCTV in the area where Mr Tomlinson collapsed.

So there you have it, no such thing as an assault it’s someone just being a bit distracting. But really does this read like a man who is independent of the police, who investigates them on our behalf? Actually better was Chief Inspector of Constabulary Denis O’Connor who had the weary sardonic air of a supervisor fed up with feckless crooked coppers trying to get away with all sorts-

He was investigating reports some officers had removed their numbers or even refused to give them when asked by members of the public “when it’s the last thing you would expect to occur, particularly in those particularly circumstances”. He said he would look into media reports officers were worried about false “career ending” accusations being made against them if they could be identified, but warned: “I have heard that rationale before. I wasn’t impressed with it then. I doubt if I will be impressed with it now.” And he said his probe would look at whether all officers should be forced to wear name badges, which are currently not compulsory.

The hiding of identifying markings is a very old tactic when they are up to no good, from eleven years ago-

A retired police inspector beaten by baton-wielding riot officers while drinking in a pub has received £10,000 in compensation from Greater Manchester police. Russell Grayson, 55, an officer with Northumbria police for 30 years, yesterday labelled his attackers “thugs in uniform” who were a disgrace to the service.

The Manchester force accepted their actions were “despicable”. But none of the masked riot officers responsible for the attack on Mr Grayson and other football fans near Piccadilly station, following a 1998 FA Cup semi-final between Newcastle United and Sheffield United, has been charged or even disciplined, because they wore no identification numbers.

So let’s not pretend this is a rare rotten apple phenomenon when it is a practiced, long standing means of criminal individuals within the police service to get away with crime.

[And to be fair I do know of -some- police who are just as exasperated with the force’s ‘inability’ to deal with dirty coppers in their ranks as we are, however the omertà, peer pressure & tribalism at play and the ususal financial pressures combined with the lack of a proper progressive union make it a non-starter.]

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5 Responses to “I Don’t Think Independent Means What He Thinks It Means”

Hardwick likes the word ‘rigorous’ amazed he didn’t say….. ‘independent’…’objective’ when he knows that is all…erm…b…alderdash.

Btw: did you read the article from the Yorkshire Post re right-wing journo who thinks the woman ‘deserved’ a slap?!?

Oh, and on a separate but connected issue …the police won’t allow the protest tomorrow re Budget Day at 11:30am organised by the campaign Their Crisis, Nor Ours (part of the LRC). If we do go ahead we will be…nicked..by her Maj Finest. So we are hoping people will turn up outside the Treasury at 5:30pm tomorrow night to tell Brown and his Darling what we think of their budget (£15bn public sector cuts…. etc etc)

Oh yes, all the comments on the Carmichael YP article totally slam him! What a stupid, attention seeking wanker who should get slapped by women wherever he goes!

This not allowing protest is wrong, but because they have shown their brutality a protest without permission is not considered possible, thus we see the rationale of their violence. Shock Doctrine accomplished. People now have to weigh if they are willing to protest and face attacks and possible court action, but whatever, take those cameras, it’s all we have for now.

Well ideally I think we would still need some kind of citizen detective bureau because shit does happen. But I know what you mean, as currently constituted they are just guardians of the ruling class. As the linked article (and thanks for it) says-

The biggest block in the road to genuine community policing lies here. For all the consultations and scrutiny groups, the problem remains that the police exist to establish the ‘rule of law’ of a state that is not neutral because it is itself not under effective democratic control.

[…] that gets results and polices the police. Nick Hardwick, head of the Independent Police Complaints Commission said the severity of the G20 complaints and injuries alleged is greater – although the difference […]